{"product_id":"sunflower-vanilla-ice","title":"Sunflower Vanilla Ice","description":"\u003cstyle\u003e\n\n  * { box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0; padding: 0; }\n  body { padding: 30px 24px 60px; }\n\n  details {\n    border: 1px solid #d8e4c8;\n    border-radius: 8px;\n    margin: 16px 0;\n    overflow: hidden;\n    background: #f9fdf5;\n  }\n  summary {\n    cursor: pointer;\n    padding: 14px 18px;\n    font-weight: 700;\n    color: #2c2c2c;\n    background: #eef5e4;\n    border-radius: 8px;\n    list-style: none;\n    display: flex;\n    align-items: center;\n    gap: 8px;\n    user-select: none;\n  }\n  summary::-webkit-details-marker { display: none; }\n  summary::after { content: '＋'; margin-left: auto; color: #5a7e3a; }\n  details[open] summary::after { content: '－'; }\n  details[open] summary { border-radius: 8px 8px 0 0; background: #ddeecb; }\n  .dropdown-body { padding: 20px 22px 22px; }\n  .dropdown-body p { margin-bottom: 12px; color: #333; }\n  .dropdown-body strong { color: #1a1a1a; 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color: #2c4a1a; }\n  .closing-box p  { color: #333; margin-bottom: 8px; }\n  .closing-box a  { color: #2c4a8a; font-weight: 700; }\n\n  hr.section { border: none; border-top: 1px solid #ddeecb; margin: 28px 0; }\n\n\u003c\/style\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunflower 'Vanilla Ice' Seeds\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSoft, pale, creamy-vanilla petals around a dark chocolate disc, with a quiet elegance and a luminous garden presence that makes every bold flower around it look more vivid, more saturated, and more alive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"intro\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Bishy Barnabee's sunflower range has been building steadily toward the warm, dark, and dramatic end of the colour spectrum — the golden pompom of Teddy Bear, the blazing bicolour of Ring of Fire, the crimson of Red Sun, the near-black velvet of Chocolate. 'Vanilla Ice' is the counterpoint the range has been waiting for. Where the others glow and burn and demand attention, this extraordinary variety does something far more subtle and far more sophisticated — it glows softly, as if lit from within, and in doing so makes every other colour around it appear richer, deeper, and more alive by contrast.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe petals are a pale, warm, creamy vanilla — not white, not yellow, but somewhere between the two in the most quietly beautiful register imaginable, with a slight warmth that prevents them from feeling cold or clinical. The central disc is a rich, deep chocolate-brown — a striking contrast that anchors the whole flower with visual authority — and the overall effect is of a plant that has refined the sunflower to its most essential and most elegant form. In the cutting garden it is transformative: a single stem of Vanilla Ice in a mixed arrangement with the dark sunflowers lifts every other flower in the vase, the pale petals acting as a natural light reflector that intensifies the colours around them. In the cottage garden border it performs the same function at a larger scale, and with equal grace.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"section\"\u003e\u003c!-- DROPDOWN 1: Understanding the Plant --\u003e\n\u003cdetails\u003e\n\u003csummary\u003e🌿 Understanding the Plant\u003c\/summary\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"dropdown-body\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHelianthus annuus\u003c\/em\u003e 'Vanilla Ice' is a \u003cstrong\u003eHalf-Hardy Annual\u003c\/strong\u003e and the pale counterpoint to the dark-flowered varieties in the Bishy Barnabee's sunflower range — a tall, branching, single-flowered cultivar selected for its exceptionally soft, creamy-vanilla ray florets and the striking contrast they create with the deep chocolate-brown central disc. It grows to around 120–150cm with a branching habit that produces multiple blooms per plant throughout the summer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"dual-panel\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"dual-box box-garden\"\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e🌿 In the Garden\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTall and luminous at 120–150cm — works equally well at the back of a border or as a pale accent within a mixed planting. The creamy petals catch and reflect low morning and evening light with particular beauty. Single open flowers provide excellent pollinator access. Powerful as a brightening, lightening presence alongside dark-flowered companions — the pale petals make every neighbouring colour appear more vivid.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"dual-box box-vase\"\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e💐 In the Vase\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe most versatile cut flower sunflower in the range — the pale, neutral tone works with virtually every other flower colour and acts as a natural light-reflector in mixed arrangements. Vase life of 10–14 days. Outstanding alongside the dark sunflowers — Chocolate and Red Sun — where the pale petals provide maximum contrast. Condition overnight in deep water before arranging.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Colour Chemistry:\u003c\/strong\u003e The creamy-vanilla colouring of 'Vanilla Ice' comes from a very low concentration of carotenoid pigments in the ray florets — the same pigment family responsible for the deep gold of Teddy Bear and the amber tones in Ring of Fire, but present here at such reduced levels that only the palest, warmest suggestion of yellow-cream remains. The dark chocolate disc provides a maximum concentration of the same anthocyanin pigments found in Chocolate sunflower, creating the most striking petal-to-disc colour contrast in the entire range — pale cream against near-black, each making the other appear more extreme.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Role of Pale in the Range:\u003c\/strong\u003e In colour theory, pale, neutral tones perform a specific and irreplaceable function in any planting or arrangement — they separate, lift, and intensify the colours around them. A pale cream sunflower alongside deep red, mahogany, and amber sunflowers does not diminish the drama of the dark varieties; it amplifies it. Growing 'Vanilla Ice' alongside the darker members of the range is not a softening of the palette but an enriching of it — the pale presence makes the dark flowers appear deeper, the reds more vivid, and the whole composition more balanced and more beautiful than the dark varieties alone could achieve.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWildlife Value:\u003c\/strong\u003e As a single-flowered variety with a fully open disc, 'Vanilla Ice' is as pollinator-friendly as the other single varieties in the range — bees and hoverflies visit the disc freely throughout the season. The seed heads that follow are a valuable autumn and winter food source for finches and other seed-eating birds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003c!-- DROPDOWN 2: Growing Guide --\u003e\n\u003cdetails\u003e\n\u003csummary\u003e🌱 Growing Guide\u003c\/summary\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"dropdown-body\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'Vanilla Ice' is grown in exactly the same way as the other tall branching sunflowers in the range — individual pot sowing, same transplanting timing, same spacing and staking requirements as Ring of Fire, Red Sun, and Chocolate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow to Sow:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSow indoors from \u003cstrong\u003elate March to April\u003c\/strong\u003e in individual 7–9cm pots, one seed per pot approximately 1–2cm deep. As with all sunflower varieties, individual pot sowing is essential — the taproot develops quickly and resents disturbance at transplanting. Maintain a temperature of 18–22°C. Germination typically occurs within \u003cstrong\u003e7–10 days\u003c\/strong\u003e. For direct outdoor sowing, sow in the final position after the last frost from \u003cstrong\u003elate April to May\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTransplanting:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePlant out after the last frost from \u003cstrong\u003elate May to early June\u003c\/strong\u003e after thorough hardening off. Space plants \u003cstrong\u003e45–60cm apart\u003c\/strong\u003e. Full sun produces the finest flower quality and the most beautiful creamy colouring — in partial shade the pale petals can appear washed out and the chocolate disc less richly coloured. Stake at planting time in exposed positions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOngoing Care:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWater consistently and feed with a balanced liquid fertiliser fortnightly from bud formation. For cut flower production, pinch out the central terminal bud at 60–70cm to encourage lateral branching and a longer succession of cut stems. The pale, creamy petals of 'Vanilla Ice' photograph with exceptional beauty in the golden hour — early morning and late afternoon light brings out the warm, honeyed quality of the cream colouring in a way that midday sun does not, and is worth planning for in the cutting garden.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnd of Season:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAllow seed heads to mature on the plant through autumn as a winter food source for birds. The pale dried petals of Vanilla Ice persist on the seed head for longer than darker varieties, giving the plant a softly beautiful appearance in the winter garden alongside the more structural dried stems of the darker sunflowers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003c!-- DROPDOWN 3: Plant Specifications --\u003e\n\u003cdetails\u003e\n\u003csummary\u003e📋 Plant Specifications\u003c\/summary\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"dropdown-body\"\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"specs-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBotanical Name\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eHelianthus annuus\u003c\/em\u003e 'Vanilla Ice'\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCommon Name\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSunflower 'Vanilla Ice' \/ Cream Sunflower \/ Pale Sunflower\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePlant Type\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHalf-Hardy Annual\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHardiness\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eH2 — Tender; sow under cover, plant out after last frost\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLight Requirements\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFull Sun ☀️ — for finest creamy colouring and disc contrast\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePlant Height\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e120–150cm — tall, branching, structural\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFlower Form\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSingle — open disc, fully accessible to pollinators\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFlower Colour\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSoft, warm creamy-vanilla petals — rich chocolate-brown central disc\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFlower Diameter\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e12–18cm\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePlant Spacing\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e45–60cm apart\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFlowering Period\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eJuly to September — peak August\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eVase Life\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e10–14 days when conditioned correctly\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRHS Pollinator Friendly\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eYes — fully open disc, excellent wildlife value\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSeeds per Packet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eApproximately [TBC] seeds\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePerfect For\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"perfect-for-grid\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pf-box pf-vanilla\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"pf-icon\"\u003e🤍\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"pf-label\"\u003ePale \u0026amp; Romantic Cottage Borders\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pf-box pf-cream\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"pf-icon\"\u003e💐\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"pf-label\"\u003eMixed Arrangements with Dark Sunflowers\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pf-box pf-teal\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"pf-icon\"\u003e🐝\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"pf-label\"\u003eOutstanding Pollinator Plant\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pf-box pf-green\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"pf-icon\"\u003e🐦\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"pf-label\"\u003eWinter Bird Feeding — Seed Heads\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pf-box pf-slate\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"pf-icon\"\u003e✨\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"pf-label\"\u003eLifting \u0026amp; Brightening Dark Plantings\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003c!-- DROPDOWN 4: Garden Combinations --\u003e\n\u003cdetails open=\"\"\u003e\n\u003csummary\u003e🤝 Beautiful Garden Combinations\u003c\/summary\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"dropdown-body\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe soft, luminous cream of 'Vanilla Ice' works most powerfully as a brightening, lifting presence alongside bolder companions — these plants from our range create the most beautiful and most harmonious combinations with its pale, warm tones:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"companion-list\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"steel\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"companion-emoji\"\u003e🌀\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eEchinops 'Veitch's Blue': The Blue Accent.\u003c\/strong\u003e The steel-blue globe heads of Echinops alongside the creamy vanilla of 'Vanilla Ice' is one of the most quietly beautiful and most naturally harmonious combinations in the late summer garden — cool blue-grey and warm cream, spiky and open, structural and relaxed, each making the other more beautiful by proximity. This is a combination with deep roots in the cottage garden tradition, echoing the blue-and-cream pairings of agapanthus and achillea, lavender and rose, that have characterised the finest British cottage gardens for over a century. Both are outstanding for pollinators, both dry beautifully, and together in a dried winter arrangement they retain their quiet elegance with remarkable persistence.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"blue\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"companion-emoji\"\u003e🌼\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eBorage: The Soft Blue Companion.\u003c\/strong\u003e Borage alongside Vanilla Ice creates one of the most naturally pleasing colour combinations in the cottage garden — the electric blue of the Borage stars reading as more vivid and more jewel-like against the pale cream of the sunflower behind them than against any other colour in the range. The combination is reminiscent of the finest blue-and-cream arrangements of the Dutch Golden Age still life tradition — warm, luminous, and entirely unforced. Borage's sustained flowering from June through to October ensures this gentle pairing is maintained across the entire sunflower season, and both plants together provide an exceptional habitat for bees and beneficial insects throughout summer.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"white\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"companion-emoji\"\u003e🌸\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eAmmi Majus: The White Cloud.\u003c\/strong\u003e Ammi Majus alongside Vanilla Ice is a combination of extraordinary subtlety and quiet elegance — two pale, airy plants in the same tonal register, one fine and lacy and one bold and round, creating a soft, luminous, all-cream planting that is deeply romantic in the cottage garden tradition and outstanding as a cut flower pairing. Where Ammi Majus alongside the dark sunflowers provides maximum contrast, alongside Vanilla Ice it provides tonal harmony — a cloud of white lace framing the creamy sunflower heads in a way that feels entirely natural and entirely considered simultaneously. In the vase, this combination of pale Ammi and cream Vanilla Ice with a single dark Chocolate or Red Sun stem added for anchor is the arrangement that most closely resembles the Dutch master tradition that runs through Bishy Barnabee's aesthetic at its deepest level.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"amber\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"companion-emoji\"\u003e🧡\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eCalendula 'Art Shades Mixed': The Warm Step.\u003c\/strong\u003e Calendula Art Shades planted in front of Vanilla Ice creates one of the most naturally beautiful warm-to-pale progressions in the cottage garden — the deep apricot and amber tones of the Calendula stepping gently upward through the warmth register to the soft cream of the sunflower above, creating a planting that feels like a single, extended palette rather than a combination of separate plants. The effect is reminiscent of the layered warm tones of a summer sunrise — honey, apricot, cream, and pale gold dissolving into each other with quiet harmony — and it makes the most of Vanilla Ice's particular quality of warmth without reducing its luminous, lightening presence.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003c!-- DROPDOWN 5: Sowing \u0026 Flowering Calendar --\u003e\n\u003cdetails open=\"\"\u003e\n\u003csummary\u003e📅 Sowing \u0026amp; Flowering Calendar\u003c\/summary\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"dropdown-body\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"calendar-intro\"\u003eSow indoors from late March for luminous, creamy flowers from July — the pale counterpoint that transforms the entire sunflower planting into something more nuanced, more balanced, and more beautiful than the warm and dark varieties could achieve alone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"calendar-wrap\"\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"calendar-table\"\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"cal-label\"\u003e\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"cal-month\"\u003eJan\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"cal-month\"\u003eFeb\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"cal-month\"\u003eMar\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"cal-month\"\u003eApr\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"cal-month\"\u003eMay\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"cal-month\"\u003eJun\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"cal-month\"\u003eJul\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"cal-month\"\u003eAug\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"cal-month\"\u003eSep\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"cal-month\"\u003eOct\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"cal-month\"\u003eNov\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"cal-month\"\u003eDec\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-label\"\u003e🌱 Sow Indoors\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-sow first-active\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-sow last-active\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-label\"\u003e🪴 Plant Out\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-transplant first-active\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-transplant last-active\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-label\"\u003e🤍 Flowering\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-flower first-active\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-flower mid\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-flower last-active\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"cal-legend\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"cal-legend-item\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"cal-swatch swatch-sow\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eSow Indoors\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"cal-legend-item\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"cal-swatch swatch-transplant\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003ePlant Out\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"cal-legend-item\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"cal-swatch swatch-flower\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eFlowering\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"cal-legend-item\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"cal-swatch swatch-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eNot active\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tip-box\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e✨ Golden Hour Colour \u0026amp; Dark Sunflower Pairing Tip\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTwo things make the very most of 'Vanilla Ice'. First, observe it in the garden in early morning or late afternoon golden light — the pale, creamy petals catch the warm, low light of these hours with a luminosity that midday sun never produces, glowing softly in a way that makes the whole border appear lit from within. If you grow sunflowers for photography or simply for the private pleasure of the garden at its finest moments, Vanilla Ice in golden hour light is one of the most rewarding things the late summer border offers. Second, always grow it alongside at least one dark sunflower variety — Chocolate, Red Sun, or Ring of Fire — because the pale cream of Vanilla Ice makes the dark varieties appear deeper and more dramatic, and the dark varieties make Vanilla Ice appear more luminous and more beautiful. Neither group is at its best without the other, and together they form the most complete and most visually sophisticated sunflower collection available from the range.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"closing-box\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e🤍 The Pale Counterpoint That Completes the Range\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHelianthus annuus\u003c\/em\u003e 'Vanilla Ice' is the variety that makes the Bishy Barnabee's sunflower collection complete — not by adding another bold colour, but by providing the quiet, luminous, creamy-pale presence that allows every other colour in the range to express itself most fully. Grow it with Chocolate for the most striking pale-dark contrast available from seed. Grow it with Ring of Fire and Red Sun for a warm, richly toned border that glows from gold through crimson to cream. Grow it with all five for the complete sunflower palette — the full journey from the deepest near-black to the palest vanilla, with every tone between — and discover that the sunflower, at its full range, is one of the most extraordinary and most generous flowers in the entire cottage garden.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57648632234358,"sku":"SUN-VAN","price":2.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1514\/0412\/files\/sunflower-vanilla-ice-8351831.jpg?v=1784813480","url":"https:\/\/www.dandys.com\/products\/sunflower-vanilla-ice","provider":"Dandy's Topsoil \u0026 Landscape Supplies ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}